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September 23, 2008

G157: Red Sox 5, Spiders 4

Kevin Youkilis's two-run home run got the Red Sox on the board in the fourth inning, but Cleveland came right back. Four hits off Wakefield, including consecutive RBI doubles from Shin-Soo Choo and Jhonny Peralta gave the Spiders a 4-2 lead in the fifth.

But Lee could not hold Boston down. Kevin Cash singled to start the home half of the fifth and was forced at second by Coco Crisp. Jacoby Ellsbury doubled to right-center and Crisp stopped at third. Dustin Pedroia banged a double off the Wall, both runners scored, and the game was tied at 4-4. After David Ortiz fanned and Youkilis was walked intentionally, Jason Bay grounded a single up the middle, past Peralta's weak Jeterian dive to his left. FY scored and the Red Sox had regained the lead.

Cleveland did not go down without a fight. They loaded the bases against Manny Delcarmen in the seventh, but Hideki Okajima came in and retired Victor Martinez on a foul pop to first. They rallied again in the eighth. Justin Masterson allowed a walk and a hit, along with two strikeouts. Javier Lopez walked Grady Sizemore to load the bases. Jonathan Papelbon was able to retire Jamey Carroll on one pitch -- a fielder's choice to second base. Then Bot slammed the door in the ninth, striking out Choo and Peralta and getting Martinez to pop to short.

Tampa Bay swept its doubleheader from the Orioles, 5-2 and 7-5. The Rays came from behind in both games, including a six-run rally in the eighth inning of the nightcap. The Yankees beat Toronto 3-1, but it was meaningless, as the Red Sox had already eliminated the Chokers.

Our closest friends are at the game tonight with their daughter and son in law. We were their next choice, if the daughter and SIL had turned them down. I am hoping the Sox clinch tonight for their sake and everyone else, but to think that I MIGHT have been there....

Our closest friends are at the game tonight with their daughter and son in law. We were their next choice, if the daughter and SIL had turned them down. I am hoping the Sox clinch tonight for their sake and everyone else, but to think that I MIGHT have been there....

Hey, Amy. I'm here!

By the way, sorry I never got around to answering your questions about the pictures the other day. First of all, thanks for the kind comments, and secondly, I took those pictures with a little handheld Canon camera. the A75. Amazing what I could do with that little thing.

Actually I felt great last night. I had... four t-shirts on. I was getting just a touch of a chill at the end of the game, but all was well.

It sure is strange watching the game on TV tonight after having been there last night! I've watched well over a thousand games on television and have seen one major league game at the park, and THIS seems weird!

Amy, I took a photography course in high school that didn't do much for me except make me interested in shooting. We used black and white film cameras and had to go into the dark room and develop them... I hated that. But it made me want a digital camera.

And yep, I took a lot of pictures last night. They're not real good because of the camera I was using - not a great zoom, and people sitting in front of me moved around a lot.

First game! awesome for you. I've been to three games in the last 2 years and each time I am awestruck when I see the field and the Green Monster. Just the anticipation of walking into the park is so thrilling.

I wish we would have gotten there when the gates open, but there was no way. We could only take the 4:00 bus to Boston, got into South Station at 5:40. So we got settled into our seats finally around 6:45. I think I'd make a day of it next time around.

I don't like the wet floor where my seats were. Had no idea what that was. I'm hoping it was just water.

You're welcome. All that I have read and heard makes me feel pretty foolish for having never read anything of his. Once I actually have some time (after baseball season) to read before I am too exhausted to keep my eyes open, I will have to check out some of those essays. I don't think I have what it takes for IJ.

Thanks, Laura, for telling me that. From what I have read about the novel, it sounds like I would be lost in the density and obscurity of it. (Sorry, Allan.) So I will try out the essays first. I read some of the essay on tennis Allan linked to, but got interrupted and never was able to finish it. I can see the genius in his use of language from the little I read, but it sure it dense reading even about tennis!

Right now I have the TV on mute as emma is transcribing a Hannah Montana song to figure out the lyrics. I've also got work to do on the computer, so I try not to keep flipping back here every 8 seconds (I last about 11).

Amy - Jere seemed to have a lot less of a hard time finding our seats than we did!

It's funny though. I could barely hear you, Jere. Until I tuned my ears in. I thought at first you were just the guy who'd be sitting next to me for the night. Ya know, a social type. Took about five seconds to figure it out. By the way, how was it exactly that you pronounced your name?

Seriously, I didn't see him arrive until right before the game, so my only chance was in the lull between anthem and first pitch. By the time I got to his seat, the first pitch was about to be thrown, so not much time to do much of anything--plus I had a stranger holding my standing room spot.

my dad and his dad were Jere's. The creative part on my parents' part was naming my sister Jene. My mom was gonna call me Steven but when my dad's mom saw me she said to my mom, "You ARE gonna continue the tradition, right?" So I got stuck with it.

Seriously, I didn't see him arrive until right before the game, so my only chance was in the lull between anthem and first pitch. By the time I got to his seat, the first pitch was about to be thrown, so not much time to do much of anything--plus I had a stranger holding my standing room spot.

"So when you say your name, do you say it like "Jerry"? I figured it like "Jehr"."

I try not to say my name. But, I always pronounce it "Jerry," but with a Connecticut "Jair-E" as opposed to the short E sound you hear from New Yorkers. But plenty of people just say Jehr. Which I'm totally fine with. Not short for Jeremy, either.

I just cheapen my trip by never paying more than a few quarters for parking--or the $8 lot if it's absolutely necesary, always getting tix for face value, and rarely buying food/drink beyond maybe a pizza slice. When you don't drink alcohol it makes cheapness a LOT easier.

I just cheapen my trip by never paying more than a few quarters for parking--or the $8 lot if it's absolutely necesary, always getting tix for face value, and rarely buying food/drink beyond maybe a pizza slice. When you don't drink alcohol it makes cheapness a LOT easier.

Where do you park? $26 for the bus for me, $4 for the T... $6 for a quick McDonalds dinner (I very rarely eat at McDonalds.) I didn't buy anything at the ballpark. I got a snack at south station that cost $5... So that's $41.

Jere, you are the master for sure of getting into Fenway for the least. Although we were lucky this year---once we went as guests (though we took our friends out to dinner to thank them) and once we went at face value through work. But a few quarters for parking? We paid a quarter of a $100 for parking, I believe. And gas, etc. We didn't eat much though. Just an overpriced beer for Harvey and an ice cream for me.

There are a bunch of areas around Fenway with meters that end at 6 PM. I get there at 4, pay 2 bucks in quarters for 2 hours of parking. But even if you don't like to get there for gates opening like I always do--you can still go to an 8 PM meter starting at 6 PM, and you're still in there before game time. The only time you can't do this is Saturday afternoon and weekday afternoon games, which are both pretty rare nowadays.

And I don't have to worry about the driver falling asleep if it's me driving. Unless I'm real tired, but I can stay awake. I've driven from Maine to Florida, 1400 miles, in 36 hours on four hours of sleep before we left, and one hour of sleep on the way.

My old band did L.A. to Connecticut in 47 hours. Obviously you avoid needing to stop for sleep with 4 drivers, but I did do most of it. If only gas were free and cars released environment-nourishing oxygen, it would be a much better world.

My old band did L.A. to Connecticut in 47 hours. Obviously you avoid needing to stop for sleep with 4 drivers, but I did do most of it. If only gas were free and cars released environment-nourishing oxygen, it would be a much better world.

That is so true. But maybe that would cause the world to get built up even more, with less open spaces.